George Lucas Chooses Chicago for New Museum

Confirmation that the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum will be built in Chicago has some wondering if Mayor Rahm Emanuel performed a Jedi Mind Trick on George Lucas.

Since the museum was announced it was largely assumed it would be built in San Francisco, near the LucasFilm headquarters. So, many were surprised this week when Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for Emanuel, announced Lucas' decision to build the facility in Chicago, over San Fran.

According to the AP, Chicago was chosen because, "The city offered up a slice of real estate along the Lake Michigan shore that is near other attractions, including the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. At the same time, San Francisco suffered a setback when the city rejected Lucas' first choice of a location near the Golden Gate Bridge."

The Lucas Museum, which will include pieces from Lucas' personal art collection as well as Star Wars memorabilia, is expected to generate up to 2.5 billion dollars in additional tourist revenue for Chicago over ten years.